Thursday

Oct 25, 2018 at 7:36 AM

Summary: This proposed law would create a citizens commission to consider and recommend potential amendments to the U.S. Constitution to establish that corporations do not have the same Constitutional rights as human beings and that campaign contributions and expenditures may be regulated.

Any Massachusetts resident who is a U.S. citizen would be able to apply for appointment to the 15-mmber commission, and members would serve without compensation. The Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth, state Attorney General, Speaker of the House and President of the Senate would each appoint three members of the commission and, in making these appointments, would seek to ensure the commission reflects a range of geographic, political and demographic backgrounds..

The commission would be required to research and take testimony, and then issue a report regarding (1) the impact of political spending in Massachusetts; (2) any limitations on the state's ability to regulate corporations and other entities in light of Supreme Court decisions that allow corporations to assert certain constitutional rights; (3) recommendations for constitutional amendments; (4) an analysis of constitutional amendments introduced to Congress; and (5) recommendations for advancing proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

The commission would be subject to the state Open Meeting Law and Public Record Law. The commission's first report would be due Dec. 31, 2019, and the Secretary of the Commonwealth would be required to deliver the report to the state Legislature, U.S. Congress, and the President of the United States.

The proposed law states that, if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect. The proposed law would take effect on Jan. 1, 2019.

A YES vote would create a citizens commission to advance an amendment to the United States Constitution to limit the influence of money in elections and establish that corporations do not have the same rights as human beings.

A NO vote would not create this commission.

Source: William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth, "Massachusetts Information for Voters 2018 Ballot Questions," available online at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/ele18/ballot_questions_18/ballot_questions18.htm and in the print edition sent to voters by mail.